Nine Schools Competition
Nine Schools Competition (九校戰) is a nationwide annual magic tournament for the nine Magic High Schools of Japan and it is one of the biggest magic-related events in Japan. Its official name is "Nationwide Magic High School Athletics Competition". Every year, a roster of select students from the nine National Magic University affiliated high schools from across the country meet, putting theirs and their schools' pride on the line. A huge crowd is always expected to spectate, not only general public, government officials and those interested in magic but also businesses, overseas companies, researchers and scouts. It is also one of the few stages that provides magic competition as entertainment. The Nine Schools Competition is said to be the greatest stage for magic high school students to shine and its results are linked to the students' career paths. It is also one of the few major events to allow the general public to better understand and become invested in magic competitions, as well as to further society's acknowledgement of magic. History *Year 2086 - Recurring events *Year 2089 - Third High School claimed all over victory. *Year 2092 - Third High School's victory. *Year 2093 - First High School took the crown from Third High School. Saegusa, Juumonji and Watanabe participated in the Newcomers' Division. *Year 2094 - First High School won once again. *Year 2095 - First High School topped Men's and Women's events in the Newcomer's Division, as well as the overall scores. *Year 2096 - Changes in events. First High School came in First place. Rules and Regulations The competition is divided into the Official and Newcomers Divisions. Only 1st Year Students may participate in the Newcomer Division while the Official Division has no restrictions. Each contestant may participate only in two contests and the maximum number of participants per contest is three from each school, with men and women calculated separately. Prior to the AD2095 Nine Schools Competition, the Newcomer Division was not separated by gender but from Year 2095 onwards, both the Official and Newcomer Division will be. Also, from year 2095 onwards, 1st Year female students have to compete in multiple Contests. Beside the contestants, the Nine Schools Competition allows each school to bring 4 people as tactical advisers, but not every school takes advantage of this option. Each school is also allowed to bring 8 technicians who are responsible for CAD maintenance. The CADs used at the Nine Schools Competition must be universally adaptable so only models that fit the criteria are allowed. However, there are no restriction on software. All CADs also have to be turned over to the Nine Schools Competition Committee for examination once. For Year 2095, both Official and Newcomer Divisions require 10 men and women each, for a grand total of 40 excluding the tactical advisers and technicians. For Year 2096, the Official Division requires 12 men and women each while the Newcomer Division requires 9 men and women each. A grand total of 42, excluding the tactical advisers and technicians. Events The contests in the Nine School Competition focus on the events in athletic magic contests that require more Magic Power. The events were changed every competition in the past, but in recent years the same contests are seen every year. However, the events are changed once again for the competition held in Year 2096. Events for AD2095 Monolith Code Monolith Code (秘碑解碼) is a men's-only game. At the competition site, called a "Stage", magic is used to fight over the "Monolith", with each team having three players. The outcome is determined by splitting the monolith in the enemy encampment and transmitting a concealed code. Any attacks other than magic are forbidden. Breaking the monolith requires that it be struck with a special Nonsystematic Magic. Due to the nature of the event, this game is the most popular amongst the Nine Schools Competition Volume 4: Nine Schools Competition II - http://baka-tsuki.org. 'Mirage Bat' Mirage Bat''' (幻境摘星) or "Fairy Dance" is a women's only game. With the elaborate costumes and how the Players fly around, they are often likened to fairies. Amongst Players, this game is called "Mirage". Holographic spheres are projected in the air, and Players must compete by using magic to rise into the air and hit the orbs with their sticks. Though this competition has the fewest number of games of all in the Nine Schools Competition, the play time is typically the longest. During the game, Players must continuously invoke magic to leap into the air. It is said the burden is similar to running a full marathon. 'Speed Shooting' '''Speed Shooting (精速射擊), also known as "Quick Draw", is a game where clay targets are shot into the designated space and destroyed by magic. One-hundred red and white targets are released and the Players compete by destroying their colored targets. In the Preliminaries, Players only compete to destroy as many targets as possible within a five-minute time limit. Beginning at the Quarter-finals, the scoring system is put into place as contestants compete against each other. 'Icicle Destruction / Ice Pillar Break' Icicle Destruction (冰柱攻防) or "Ice Pillar Break" is a game where two players stand on a tower four meters in height, defending twelve pillars contained in twelve meter square area while attacking twelve pillars in the opposition's field. Players compete to destroy the opponent's pillars before their own are broken. There is no need to use the body, since Players compete remotely with magic, so Players may wear whatever they wish, with the only restriction being that "It Must Not Offend Public Order or Morals". It is said the Women's Pillar Break has become a fashion show in recent years. 'Crowd Ball' Crowd Ball''' (群球搶分) is a game where 6cm diameter foam balls are shot into the competition area using compressed air. Players compete by using a racket or magic to force the balls to hit the opponent's court. One set lasts 3 minutes, and a ball is shot into the court, covered in a transparent box, every 20 seconds, leading to 9 balls being on the court simultaneously. Women have 3 sets per match while Men have 5 sets. 'Battle Board' '''Battle Board (沖浪競速), also referred to as "Surfing", is a game that originated as a method for training naval forces. Players receive a board similar to a surfing board and must complete three laps on an artificial channel 3km in length by making full use of magic to propel them forward. Players compete for victory. According to the rules, use of magic to interfere with other players is forbidden. The Preliminaries consists of six races, four players each. Two Semi-Finals games are held with three contestants each. A playoff is held to determine third place, while the top Players from each Semi-finals race will compete one-on-one in the finals. 'Events for AD2096' Speed Shooting, Crowd Ball and Battle Board are removed and replaced by the three following events:'' Rower and Gunner, Shield Down and Steeplechase Cross-Country. '' Icicle Destruction, Rower and Gunner and Shield Down are further divided into solo and pair events. Various procedures for the contests have also changed. 'Mirage Bat' The event with the least changes in rules; Mirage Bat has 27 contestants with 3 from each High School. The initial fixed 4 competitors per set had changed to 3 rounds with 4 competitors and 3 rounds with 5 competitors. The set a competitor will participate in will be determined through lottery. With the introduction of Flying Type Magic, usage of sustained flight is restricted to one minute burst which means that competitors are required to land within one minute. Rower and Gunner Further divided into solo and pair categories. In the pair category, one person acts as the 'rower' of an unmotorized boat along a water channel, and the other acts as the 'gunner', who will shoot down targets either on the banks of the channel or moving on the water channel itself. Both the time taken to reach the goal and the number of targets shot will determine the score. In the solo category, a single person acts as both the 'rower' and 'gunner'. This event was derived originally from USNA's naval training menu. 'Shield Down' Further divided into solo and pair categories. Participants holding shields will battle in an elevated arena. Winning conditions are either one of these: #destroy opponent's shield, #steal opponent's shield, #cause opponent to drop shield and unable to recover it for 5 seconds or more, #knock opponent out of the arena. A participant can use both physical (either with his body or the shield) and magic attacks on the opponent's shield but only magic to knock an opponent off the arena. Physical strikes on the opponent's body are not allowed. 'Steeplechase Cross-Country' An obstacle course in the forest where participants compete by the time taken to clear it. Originally derived from infantry training menu. Obstacles can be natural or man-made. They can be automated gun emplacements or magic obstacles. Steeplechase is restricted to years 2 and 3 only. Points Allocation / Scores 'AD2095' *Half of the points from the Newcomers' Division will be added in the total. Results of the Nine Schools Competition events for year 2095.[http://www49.atwiki.jp/mahouka/pages/22.html| Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei Japanese Wiki] *Events are categorized into two: Official Division and Newcomer's Division *M / F = Male / Female *There are only two gender specific events: Mirage Bat (Women's Only) and Monolith Code (Men's Only). *Prior the 2095 Nine Schools Competition, the Newcomers' Division was not separated by gender, but from this year onward, both the Official and Newcomers' Division will be. 'AD2096' 'Results of the Nine Schools Competition events for AD2096. ' [http://www49.atwiki.jp/mahouka/pages/22.html Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei Japanese Wiki] *Events are categorized into two: Official Division and Newcomer's Division *Rower and Gunner, Shield Down and Icicle Destruction are categorised into two: Solo and Pair *M / F = Male / Female *There are only two gender specific events: Mirage Bat (Women's Only) and Monolith Code (Men's Only). Incidents References Category:Events Category:Japan Category:Nine Schools Competition Arc